I'm always delighted when I dip back into the archives and find a story by a favorite author that I haven't read. Well, here's one such story, and it's marvelous. I will leave a more detailed review when the weekend rolls around and I finish reading (meanwhile, work, work, work) but I wanted to stay how much I am enjoying this. One thing I like about it is that while it is essentially a portrait of Klink that colors his background, it's also a charming caper with a compelling original character, AND it does not relegate the main players to bit roles. All the members of the core team remain prominent, and I really enjoy that.

Your take on Klink is convincing. A timid child, a cold father, and a self-absorbed mother add up to a telling portrait of what neglect and lack of affection yield. Overall the storytelling is very textured and very layered with a fascinating revelation at the end. (Yes, I've read to the end - I just need to read it over more carefully)

This is wonderful. I'm having such warm feelings right now, I don't have the words to describe how lovely this is. Marie is wonderful. I love her. And I love sibling dynamics.
The whole thing feels organic. From the outrage towards the monstrous Staremburg, to the familial love between Klink and Marie. It all seems rather tentative at first, but you can really see it growing throughout. And I'm very glad that Staremburg is out of the picture.
It all comes together nicely, and though I'm sad that it's over, I'm glad it came to a satisfying conclusion.

How beautifully understated!

You handled the entire eugenics thing perfectly and thank you for showing how everyone at the stalag felt about that repulsive aspect of Nazism, including Klink. It's nice to explore his backstory and although I wished he'd had more time in getting to catch up with his sister, I'm glad you created her and gave him a sense of hope.

And thank you for the brotherhood that supported and surrounded Kinch and Carter. You're a whiz at showing that!

I thought this story was wonderful. The whole story of Klink's childhood seems to explain a lot about how he ended up like he is and having a long lost sister was a great twist. I am quite fond of Klink (due to the absolutely superb way he is played by Werner Klemperer) and seeing him stand up to that awful General was great. I would love to see a sequel to this, and see how a further meeting between Klink and Marie would change Klink.

wonderful story and character, I'm happy Klink has a sister that loves him and pushes him. That was also a great villain in the SS General. Thanks

Brilliant! Top-notch characterization - Staremberg was loathsome, but no caricature, Marie was intelligent and intriguing, and we get to see just about every side of Klink's personality over the course of nine chapters. He almost had me face-palming when he mentioned Carter's ancestry, though it was characteristic of him, being so eager to please that he didn't realize the consequences of what he said. Excellent treatment of his family background, by the way - you conveyed lots of information, family history and familial relationships, effectively and with commendable brevity. Certainly gives us good background for Klink and the way he acts - poor man, he's been emotionally neglected since birth. Anyway, lots of great lines, some humorous, some decidedly not. Your description of the fields and forests of Rosenthal, in the first chapter, were simply beautiful.

Excellent tale. Well-done.

Go Klink!

This is excellent, most excellent.

The plot thickens ... and does so most deftly.

I absolutely love this. I have a real soft spot for old Klink, who does have a basic sense of compassion and decency under all the cringing and posturing, and I always like it when writers dig into the question of what it might take for him to make a stand. I would love to see a sequel to this story.

There were so many things I enjoyed about this story!

Giving Klink more emotional depth (and more of a backbone!) than what we see on the series gives us a chance to develop sympathy and respect for him (although he still agonizes over his actions - this keeps him the Klink we know and love). The idea of giving him a long-lost sister is inspired, especially since he and she met and bonded as children, a bond strong enough to be recognized forty years later. And the use of the little yellow flower as a symbol of that bond is just lovely.

The situation you place our Heroes in has the trademark touches of humor, but there's also a serious threat to them and their operation that needs to be eliminated...and what a nice twist it is that Marie is the one who neutralizes the threat!

And of course, it's a nice touch that Klink's relationship with Marie remains their own precious secret, and even Hogan is left in the dark.

Marie herself is a wonderful OC, as a fearless child and as an equally fearless underground agent, but it's her affection for Klink that really makes me fond of her. Her final note to him was so touching...and of course she included the flower!

a great story. made u almost feel sorry for Col Klink.

Would have made a great epsoide for the series

cant figure out what this will lead to but so far so good.

This is a sweet and beautiful story. I would love to read a sequel.